Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Gary Kose

Committee Chair and Members

Gary Kose, Chair
Tristan Adams

Keywords

Behavioral health, Domestic abuse, Domestic violence, Physiological symptoms, Vicarious trauma, Victim mentality

Abstract

Domestic violence is a behavioral problem that has increased within the United States over the past decade. This master’s thesis analyzed the literature that reports on the psychological and physiological (often termed psychophysiological) portion of domestic violence. Analysis of three studies on the effects of domestic violence shows agreement that domestic violence manifests in victims as four primary physiological effects and four psychological effects. However, treatment of domestic abuse appears to concentrate on the psychological components of domestic abuse and tends to exclude the physiological aspects. This thesis argues that effective treatment for victims of domestic violence should include training clinicians/professionals to recognize and treat both psychological and physiological symptoms.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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